Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are rare tumors that develop in the thymus, a small organ located behind the breastbone. The thymus plays an important role mainly in childhood, as it helps the immune system function properly. Its function decreases with age.
Thymoma is usually a less aggressive tumor that grows slowly and rarely spreads to surrounding areas. Thymic carcinoma, on the other hand, is rarer but much more aggressive and can invade surrounding tissues or spread to other parts of the body.
Thymomas and thymic carcinomas most commonly occur in people between the ages of 40 and 60, with equal frequency in men and women. They often occur in conjunction with autoimmune diseases, such as myasthenia gravis (a disease causing muscle weakness). Sometimes the tumor is detected precisely because of the symptoms of these diseases, such as difficulty swallowing, weakness, or drooping eyelids. In some patients, however, the tumor is discovered by chance, for example during an examination for another reason.
In the Czech Republic, these are rare diseases, accounting for about 1.5% of all cancer diagnoses. However, their incidence has increased in recent years thanks to better diagnostics. The exact cause of their development is unknown. It may be a combination of genetic influences, the effects of radiation, or a connection with autoimmune diseases. Based on current knowledge, lifestyle factors (such as smoking or an unhealthy diet) do not influence its development.
Surgery is usually the primary treatment. If the tumor can be completely removed, this may be sufficient. In cases where surgery is not enough or the tumor cannot be safely removed, other treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy are used.
For tumors in the chest area, it is very important to spare the surrounding healthy organs, such as the lungs, heart, spinal cord, or esophagus. This is where proton radiation therapy has a great advantage. Thanks to its properties, it allows for precise targeting of the tumor and minimizes damage to healthy tissue in the surrounding area.
Proton therapy is most commonly used:
This treatment may also be suitable for patients who cannot undergo surgery for health reasons. Thanks to its precision, proton therapy is very gentle and effective, which is extremely important in the chest area, where many organs are located.
